IAS students present their work at the 2022 Global Engagement Conference

Thirteen students from IAS faculty member Ben Gardner‘s History and Globalization class (BISGST 303) presented their research at the 2022 Global Engagement Conference.

Annie Wang, Evelynn Michaud-Spangler, Nabrath Sheriff, Saki Ueta, Sanaika Shetty and Sidra Imran presented their research on the The Work, Rest and Play of the Mars Corporation. Their project uses Google MyMaps to explore the historical and current globalization of chocolate as a commodity with a critical focus on the use of forced labor to facilitate this process. They investigate the establishment of Mars Incorporated, the biggest chocolate manufacturer in the world. During the History and Globalization course in Winter Quarter 2022, the students worked together on a commodity project focused on the cacao industry. Since then, the six students have gotten closer due to their shared passion for human rights and social justice issues, which inspired them to pursue their research further. Here is the link to their Map, which they refer to during the presentation.

Angelina Bagnovets, Sam Styles, Kailani Jackson, Luu Munkh and Emma Perkins presented their research on The Global Cocaine Trade. The global cocaine trade takes place across many different places within varying international regions. Systematic instability and Western markets keep the industry highly profitable to this day. Curious about the ways in which illicit commodities are transported – this group decided to focus on cocaine. Team members approached the issue through interdisciplinary lenses of study, identifying critical factors such as colonial influences and cultural significance.

Won Moon Cho and Wesley N Huynh presented their research on the Past and Future Effects of Opioids.Their group mapped out the opioid crisis in the United States and other nations. They researched the relationship of the opioid chain (history, production, consumption, and political economy) and proposed research questions for future researchers.

All three groups produced an interactive map and presented their work through a recorded video presentation. Professor Gardner said, “these student projects were exceptional in their rigorous approach to research, as well as demonstrating exceptional collaboration and teamwork. I am so proud of what these students were able to accomplish with this assignment.” The conference organizers were impressed with the level of professionalism and care that these IAS students showed during the conference submission process.

You can see all presentations on the conference page here.

Congratulations!